Carbon blaster mechanism



Jan. 17, 1956 Filed May 6, 1953 R. J. PYCIAK CARBON BLASTER MECHANISM mama 2 Shasta-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

AO/WHA/ J. PYC/A'K flat/072 a PM CARBON BLASTER MECHANISM Roman J. Pycialr, Detroit, Mich., assignor to Kenn-Moore Organization, Inc., Detroit, Mich a corporation of Michigan Application May 6, 1953, Serial No. 353,372 6 Claims. or. sr-s This invention relates to apparatus for removing carbon from the combustion chamber walls of an internal combustion engine without removing the cylinder head of the engine.

This application is a continuation-in-part of the copending application of George M; Graham, SerialNo. 190,828, filed October 18, 1950, now Patent No.

2,651,887, issued September 15, 1953; As disclosed in such copending application, removal of the carbon from the combustion chambers of an internal combustion engine is accomplished by blasting the inner surface of the head and adjacent inner wall surface of the cylinder with hard granules of combustible material, such as rice grains. It has beenfound that by blasting these hard granules of organic material against the inner surface of a cylinder head and the innersurface of the cylinder wall adjacent thereto the carbon particles are dislodged from the blasted surface. This blast of granules may be directed against the head of the cylinder from the nozzle of air blast mechanism which nozzle may be introduced into-the cylinder through a spark plug opening or other aperture.

An air blast nozzle assembly, suchas that (disclosed in my copending application, Serial No. 353,37l,filed even date herewith, now Patent No. 2,720,057,. granted October 11, 1955, is intended to be used withthe apparatus herein disclosed. Such nozzle assembly comprises a granule delivery nozzle portion and a granule exhaust nozzle portion. The air blast which projects the granules against the inner surfaceof the combustion chamber also serves to scavenge dislodged carbon particles and used granules out of the combustion chamber through the exhaust portion of the nozzle assembly. The air blast may be continued following the projection of the full quantity of granules selected fora single blasting operation in order to complete the scavenging of used granules and dislodged carbon particles from the interior of the chamber.

The apparatus herein disclosed includes a container I for blast granules, a chamber communicating with the container to receive blast granules therefrom, air blast mechanism adapted to pick up the granules from such chamber, a granule delivery line provided with a nozzle assembly whereby a blast of granules may be projected therethrough and through an opening in the wall of a combustion chamberand directed against the inner surface of such wall, and used granules and dislodged carbon particles may be scavenged out of the combustion chamher during the blasting operation. ness of short grain rice or walnut shells have been found satisfactory.

An object of the invention is the provisionof an improved filtering compartment .for the spent .blast granules and dislodged carbon, which compartment is operative to filterfrom the air stream the spent blast granules, dislodged carbon, and other Waste materials exhausted from the combustion chamber by the apparatus and which are entrained in the air stream.

Granules of the hard- 2,730,342 Fatented Jan. 17, 1956 .In operation ofthe apparatus disclosed in the abovementioned Graham application, it was discovered that certain waste materials besides dislodged carbon were exhausted .from the combustion chamber; in particular, waste materials containing lead. Such lead containing substances were also discovered to be peculiarly deleterious to the health of the operator of the apparatus. Therefore, another object of this invention is the provision of a filter compartment so constructed as to filter out from .anairstreamsuch other waste materials besides the spent blast granules and dislodgedcarbon that are exhausted from the combustion chamber by the air stream. A concomitant object is the provision of a filter compartment havingperforate side walls covered with aporous filtering material and a porous bag disposed within the compartment and received over the mouth of the exhaust line leading from the combustion chamber.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a. filter compartment which is adapted to retain all of the blast granules dislodged carbon, and other waste materials that are exhausted by the air stream from the combustion chamber, and store such materials until such time as is convenient to discard them.

A further object of the invention is the provision of a casing which housesat one end a receptacle adapted to receive a charge of blast granules and a stream of compressed air which will entrain the granules, and which houses at the opposite end spaced from the receptacle, a filter compartment, with an imperforate partition separating thereceptacle from the compartment.

A still further objectis the provision of a casing having an open end within which is disposed a filter com partment also having an open end, and a lid for the casing which also forms a lid for the compartment to seal the open ends of the compartment and the casing from the atmosphere.

A meritorious .feature of the invention is the provision of an open end filter compartment having an improved sealing gasket about its rim portion adjacent the open end.

A further meritorious feature is the provision in a filter compartment of a porous bag into which the exhaust air stream from the combustion chamber passes, and a baffie plate disposed in the mouth of the bag to diifuse and inhibit the erosive effect of the spent blast granules and dislodged carbon as they enter the bag.

An advantage of this invention is that the filtered air stream upon leaving the. compartment is directed through an aperture in the side wall of the casing in which the compartment is housed, and from thence the air is directed downwardly so as to be discharged from the casing adjacent the floor .upon which the casing rests.

Other objects, advantages and meritorious features of the invention will more fully appear from the following description, claims, and drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view through the casing showing the filter compartment and granule mixing receptacle;

Fig. 2.is a sectional view through the mouth of the filter bag and exhaust line;

'Fig. 3 is a cross sectional view taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2, and showing the bafile plate;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view through the lower left hand corner of the filter compartment and porous bag shown in Fig. 1', and

, Fig. 5 is a sectional view through the upper left hand corner of the filter compartment of Fig. 1.

in carrying out the objects of my invention, as shown in .Fig. 1,'l have provided a casing generally indicated asli]. Certain mechanism hereinafter described is disposed within the casing and adapted to entrain in an air stream of compressed air, a charge of blast granules and food such stream of air and blast granules to a hose 12 which in turn carries the air and granules to a blast nozzle assembly indicated as 14. The nozzle assembly, more particularly described in my hereinabove mentioned copending application, is adapted to be inserted through the spark plug opening in the head of an internal combustion engine. The air stream and entrained blast granules are then directed against the walls of the combustion chamber and act to dislodge carbon deposited on the walls. The nozzle assembly is provided with an exhaust port which covers the spark plug opening when the nozzle is inserted into the opening, and through such exhaust port, the carbon, spent blast granules, and other waste materials are carried from the combustion chamber. The exhaust port is coupled with a hose or line 16 which carries the air stream and exhaust materials back to the casing.

The casing is generally cylindrical'and has attached thereto a smaller secondary casing 18 open at the bottom as at 20. Such open end of the secondary casing is spaced above the bottom of the casing 10 such that the open end 20 is above the floor upon which the casing 16 is resting. Wheels 22 are provided for movement of the apparatus.

Spaced above the bottom wall 24 of the casing 10 is the mixing receptacle assembly 26, hereinafter referred to as the receptacle. it comprises a chamber 28 which has a sloping bottom wall 30 and a cover 32. An air jet tube 34 extends into the interior of the chamber through its side wall and through a standpipe 36 which projects downwardly through the cover 32. The standpipe 34 approaches the sloping bottom wall of the chamber but is spaced slightly thereabove. The air jet, upon pasing through the standpipe, approaches the outlet tube 38 which communicates with the interior of the chamber throughthe wall, as shown in Fig. l. A second air 'et tube 40 communicates with the interior of the chamber through the sloping bottom thereof.

The chamber itself exhibits an upright passageway portion 42. The upper end or" this passageway may be obstructed by an adjustable pin 44. The pin may be pro jected into the chamber to obstruct the discharge of granules through the passageway 42; or it may be withdrawn so as not to obstruct such passageway. Therefore, the pin exercises control over the quantity of granules blown upwardly through such passageway toward the outlet tube 38. v

- The jets 34 and 40 are fed with air by an air pipe 46 and a suitable source of compressed air, not shown. The flow of air from the pipe 46 is regulated by the valve mechanism 48 having a stem 50 provided with a handle 52. The valve is a conventional threc-way valve which may be positioned to obstruct interiorally the flow of air from the pipe 46 to either of the jets 34 or 46, or to permit the flow of air through both jets 34 and 46 simultaneously, or to permit the flow of air' through jet 34.

The valve is marked to indicate Blast, Clean and Off. Numeral 54 indicates a pressure gage mechanism which has an indicator portion 56 whereby the air pressure within the jet 34 may be made known to the operator of the apparatus. Numeral 58 indicates a relief valve mechanism mounted on an outlet line 38, which mechanism is adapted to release the pressure in'the outlet line if it builds up to the danger point because of clogging of the nozzle assembly. The hose 12 is coupled with outlet A handle 66 is coupled with the valve and extends through the wall of the casing.

The valve stem 68 in the valve 62 is provided with an enlarged apertured portion 70 through which upon rotation of the stem to the proper position the granules in the hopper may pass downwardly through the standpipe 36. The interior of the standpipe 36 from its lower end to the valve stem 68 provides a chamber which will hold enough blast granules to clean the carbon from the combustion chamber of one cylinder of the normal internal combustion engine. v

With the hopper full of blast granules the valve 62 is opened and blast granules pass downwardly through the standpipe and into the, receptacle 26. As soon as the blast granules have accumulated in the receptacle 26 so that they stop up the lower end of the standpipe, further flow of the granules through the standpipe is prevented. The granules then accumulate within the standpipe up to the valve 62. The valve is then closed. Upon operation of the apparatus in removing the carbon from the combustion chamber walls, the blast granules in the standpipe feed by force of gravity downwardly into the receptacle until all of the granules in the standpipe are exhausted.

When the standpipe is filled with granules and the valve is closed, the air coming from pipe 46 is admitted to the jets 34 and 40 through the valve 48. The air from jet line 38 adjacent to the relief valve and extends to the nozzle assembly.

Spaced above the receptacle 26 is a funnel shaped wall 60 which is coupled with the standpipe 36 through a valve 62. A door 64 in the wall of the casing 10 provides access to the hopper formed in the casing by the walls thereof. and the sloping bottom wall 60. The blast granules are placed in the hopper through the do r 64- 40 projects granules from the bottom of the chamber 28 up through the passageway 42 to a position in front of jet 34. Blasting of air through jet 34 directs such granules through the outlet line 38 and into the hose 12 whereupon the air and entrained granules are carried to the nozzle assembly.

Spaced above the funnel shaped bottom wall 60 of the hopper and forming the top wall thereof is an imperforate partition 72. Those portions of the side walls of the casing which meet the partition 72 are grooved outwardly as at 74 to receive the perimeter edge of the partition. The connection between the partition 72 and the side walls of the casing within the groove 74 is substantially air-tight.

An annular rubber gasket 76 is disposed upon the upper surface of the partition 72 and extends therearound adjacent the perimeter thereof. Seated upon this gasket is a filtering compartment generally indicated as 78. The compartment is provided with perforated side walls 80 and an imperforate bottom wall 82. The side walls and the bottom Wall of the compartment are covered by a porous filtering material such as felt indicated at 84. The upper edges of the filtering material are folded over the upper edges of the compartment as at 86. I

Disposed within such folded portion of the filtering material and fitted over the upper edge of the compartment is a. soft gasket strip 88 which may be formed of rubber or the like.

The filtering compartment 78 is disposed within the upper end of the-casing upon the rubber gasket 76 and spaced from the side walls of the casing to provide an air passage around the compartment. An opening 90 is provided in the side wall of the casing as shown in Fig. l and communicates with the secondary casing 18. Air passing through the filtering material 84 and the perforate walls of the compartment escapes from the casing through the opening 90. Upon leaving the casing the air passes downwardly through the secondary casing 18 and 'outwardly through the bottom opening 20 thereof.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 4, a porous filter bag 92 is disposed within the filter compartment. The bag has a mouth portion 94 which is received over a cup-shaped outlet member 96 and is held thereon by a clamp 98. The outlet member 96 is mounted upon an exhaust line extension 100 which is coupled with the end of the hose or line 16. Disposed within the cup-shaped member is a baflle-plate 102. The baffle plate is provided with three radially extending earsvsimilarl yt numbered 104 whichare bent downwardly at their extremities .and secured to the inside of the cup-shaped member, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

The air stream and entrained spent blast particles, dislodged carbon and waste materials passing through hose 16 and extension 100, enter the bag at a substantial velocity. The bafile plate serves to inhibit and diffuse this air stream thereby preventing erosion and eventual puncture of the bag.

A lid 106 provided with a handle 108 is adapted to close the upper end of the casing and seal the open end of the filter compartment. The lid is prov-idedwi th an aperture through which the extension 100 passes. Such aperture is provided with any suitable .sealingmeans around the extension 100. The lid exhibits a depending shoulder 110 around its perimeter, which shoulder is adapted to overlie the side walls of the casing, as shown in. Fig. 1. Three fasteners 112, one of which is shown in Fig. 1, are mounted upon the casing and adapted to secure the lid thereon.

The inside of the lid adjacent the shoulder is provided with an annular gasket 114 formed of rubber or the like material. The gasket is adapted to abut the folded over filter material 84, as shown in Fig. 5. Whenthe lid is fastened down upon the end of the casing by thefasteners 112, the filter material 84 is squeezed between the gasket 114 and the strip 88, thereby retaining thefiltermaterial in position and sealing the end of the filter compartment. The overlap of the shoulder 110 on the lid and the side walls of the casing as shown in Fig. 5 form a. sub stantial air-tightseal at the top of the casing.

It is now apparent that any air passing through the extension 100 before reaching the atmosphere must pass first through the porous bag 92 and then through the porous filter material 84 and through the perforate walls of the filter compartment. Consequently thewaste materials containing lead, the dislodged carbon, and the spent blast granules areeifectively filtered from the air stream, and to ensure that no waste materials from the combustion chamber will be admitted into the atmosphere surrounding the operator of the apparatus theair stream eventually leaves the apparatus adjacent the floor through the openin g 20.

During the removal of carbontfrom the combustion chamber of an engine, the dislodged carbon, blast granules and waste materials are stored within the porous bag 92 until it is convenient to dispose of them. At such time the lid is removedfrom the casing and the clamp 93 is loosened from its gripping engagement of the bag, r

and the bag is withdrawn from the cup-shaped member 96. The dislodged carbon, blast granules and waste materials are then emptied from the bag and the bag then replaced over the cup-shaped member and the clamp thereagain tightened thereupon.

in the operation of the apparatus the nozzle assembly is inserted into the spark plug opening of an internal combustion engine after the spark plug has been removed. The door 64 is removed from the casing and a quantity of blast granules is placed in the hopper. The door is then replaced and the valve handle 66 coupled with valve 62 is rotated to permit the blast granules to flow down through the stand-pipe 36 into the receptacle 26. To ensure that the receptacle and stand'pipe are filled with blast granules, the valve is held in the open position for ten or fifteen seconds and thereafter closed. The valve handle 52 is moved from the Off position to the Blast position.

With the valve 43 in the Blast position, compressed air is admitted to the receptacle through both jets 34 and 40. As hereinabove explained, such admission of compressed air serves to entrain blast granules in the air stream leaving ie[ 3 and projects such entrained granules out of the receptacle through the delivery line 38. The air and entrained granules thereafter pass through hose 12 to the nozzle assembly where the granules are projected against the combustion chamber walls of the engine.

By virtue of the air pressure and the continued ingress of air and granules into the combustion chamber, the spent blast granules are scavenged from the combustion chamber through the nozzle assembly and pass to the filter compartment through hose 15. The dislodged carbon and other waste materials are alsoscavenged from the combustion chamber along with the spent blast granules. The granules, carbon and other waste materials enter the filter compartment through the extension 100. They pass into the filter bag 92 after having been diifused and their free flow inhibited by the bafile: plate 102. As the granules, carbon and other waste materials strike the baffle in being exhausted from the extension 100, they are deflected laterally from their course of How from the extension and pass over the edges of the baffle which are spaced from the inner walls of the cup-shaped member 96, and thereupon downwardly into the bag.

Therefore, it is apparent that the granules, carbon and other waste materials follow a tortuous path after being discharged from the extension 100 and before entering the body of the filter bag. They are deflected first from the balfie plate and second from the inner walls of the iember 96. The air stream carrying the granules, carbon and other waste materials pases out through the por ous walls of the bag while the granules, carbon and other waste materials remain within the bag. The air thereafter circulates within the filter compartment and finally passes through the porous filter material 84 covering the perforated walls of the compartment and into the air space between the perforated walls of the compartment and the side wall of the casing.

From such air space the air leaving the filter compartment is exhausted from the casing through the opening in the side wall thereof. The air passes downwardly through the secondary casing 18 and out through the open bottom portion 20 thereof. Because the air being exhausted from the extension 1100 must pass through the porous filter bag, through the porous filter material covering the filter compartment perforated walls, and downwardly through the open bottom of the secondary casing, the discharge of air from the secondary casing is assured of being substantially free of any of the spent blast granules, carbon or other waste materials.

After the blast granules in stand-pipe 36 and receptacle 26 have been delivered to the combustion chamber being cleaned, or when the operator of the apparatus determines that the combustion chamber has been cleaned sufiiciently, the valve handle 52 is rotated to the Clean position; thereupon the flow of air through jet 40 is shut off. The air stream leaving jet 34 and entering delivery line 38 does not pick up, or is not entrained with any of the blast granules that may remain in the receptacle. Consequently, 'only clean air enters the combustion chamber and any spent blast granules, dislodged carbon or waste materials that remain in the combustion chamber are scavenged therefrom by such air. Any blast granules which are not so scavenged from the combustion chamber are burned upon operation of the engine. Upon completion of the cleaning operation the valve 52 is rotated to the 03 position and the nozzle assembly thereafter removed from the spark plug opening.

What I claim is:

1. Apparatus for removing carbon from the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine comprising, in combination, a casing having a receptacle adapted to hold blast granules, a blast nozzle assembly receivable through an opening in the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, mechanism associated with the receptacle and operative to entrain in an air stream blast granules disposed in the receptacle and deliver them to said blast nozzle, said casing provided with a filter compartment, an exhaust line communicating with the filter compartment and with said blast nozzle assembly, a filter bag within the compartment with the mouth of the bag coupled with the exhaust line to receive the discharge therefrom, a second casing adjacent to the first casing and having a discharge opening at the bottom, said second casing communicating through the first casing with the filter compartment whereby air exhausted thereinto'passes into and down through the second casing and out to the atmosphere through the opening at the bottom of the second casing.

2. Apparatus for removing carbon from the combo tion chamber of an internal combustion engine compris ing, in combination, a casing having a receptacle at one end adapted to contain blast granules and having a filter compartment at the opposite end, a blast nozzle assembly receivable through an opening in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, conduit means communitcating with the receptacle and with the nozzle assembly and with the filter compartment to deliver air and entrained blast granules from the receptacle to the combustion chamber and discharge dislodged carbon and used blast granules from the combustion chamber to the filter compartment, said casing provided with an opening through a wall thereof for exhausting air from the filter compartment to the atmosphere, a lid sealingly closing that end of the casing housing said compartment, and a gasket disposed within the lid and adapted to bear against the upper edge of the filter compartment to seal such end of the compartment from the atmosphere.

3. Apparatus for removing carbon from the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine compris ing, in combination, a casing, a receptacle disposed in the casing adapted to contain blast granules, a filter compartment disposed within the top of the casing and having an open upper end and a perforate wall, porous filter material. covering the interior of the wall of said compartment and folded over the upper edge thereof, a blast nozzle assembly receivable through an opening in the wall of a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, conduit means communicating with the receptacle and with said nozzle assembly and with the filter compartment and adapted to deliver air and entrained blast granules to the combustion chamber and thereafter deliver the granules and dislodged carbon to the filter compartment, said casing provided with an opening through a wall thereof for exhausting air from the compartment to the atmosphere, a lid sealingly closing that end of the casing housing said compartment,

and a gasket disposed within the lid and adapted to bear against the filter material folded over the edge of the compartment to grip the material between the gasket and the edge of the compartment to seal such end of the compartment from the atmosphere.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 characterized in that a soft resilient strip is disposed around the open end of the compartment at the edge thereof and said filter material is folded over the strip and pressed between the strip and said gasket when the lid closes the compartment.

5. Apparatus for removing carbon from the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, a blast granule nozzle assembly adapted to be received through an opening in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, a casing, a receptacle received in the casing adapted to hold a quantity of blast granules, mechanism disposed in the casing and associated with the receptacle and coupled with the nozzle assembly and operative to entrain in an air stream the blast granules in the receptacle and deliver the blast granules to the combustion chamber through the nozzle assembly, a filter compartment connected to the casing and vented to the atmosphere and having an imperforate floor, an exhaust line communicating with the nozzle assembly and with the filter compartment, a filter bag disposed within the compartment with the mouth of the bag coupled with the exhaust line to filter solid particles from the air stream discharged from the line, the discharge end of said exhaust line exhibiting a cup-shaped outlet portion of rigid material over which the mouth of the bag is received, a bafile plate disposed within said cup-shaped portion, and clamping means encircling the cup-shaped portion and adapted to g'rippingly hold the mouth of: the bag over the cup-shaped portion.

6. Apparatus for removing carbon from the combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine comprising: a casing, blast granule entrainment mechanism disposed within the casing, a blast nozzle assembly adapted to be received through an opening in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine, a filter cornpartment received within one end of the casing and having an open upper end and a perforate wall, a first filter bag received within said compartment with the edge portion of the bag at the mouth folded over the upper edge of the compartment at the open end thereof, closure means coupled with the casing and bearing against the edge portion of said bag folded over the upper open end edge of the compartment and sealingly closing the open end of the compartment, an exhaust line sealingly received through said closure means with the discharge end disposed within said first filter bag, the discharge end of said exhaust line provided with a rigid cup-shaped portion,a second filter bag disposed within said first filter bag with the mouth of the second bag received over said cup-shaped portion, clamping means encircling the mouth of said second bag and clampingly holding the bagupon said cup-shaped portion, a battle plate disposed within and secured to said cup-shaped portion, and flexible conduits connected between the nozzle assembly and the entrainment mechanism and the exhaust line.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,252,127 Long Jan. 1, 1918 1,324,635 Ascoli Dec. 9, 1919 2,455,514 Mead Dec. 7, 1948 2,479,299 Biggs et al. an Aug. 16, 1949 2,547,805 Beede Apr. 3, 1951 2,576,008 Gladfelter et al. Nov. 20, 1951 2,651,887 Graham Sept. 15, 1953 

1. APPARATUS FOR REMOVING CARBON FROM THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER OF AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A CASING HAVING A RECEPTACLE ADAPTED TO HOLD BLAST GRANULES, A BLAST NOZZLE ASSEMBLY RECEIVABLE THROUGH AN OPENING IN THE COMBUSTION CHAMBER OF AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE, MECHANISM ASSOCIATED WITH THE RECEPTABLE AND OPERATIVE TO ENTRAIN IN AN AIR STREAM BLAST GRANULES DISPOSED IN THE RECEPTACLE AND DELIVER THEM TO SAID BLAST NOZZLE, SAID CASING PROVIDED WITH A FILTER COMPARTMENT, AN EXHAUST LINE COMMUNICATING WITH THE FILTER COMPARTMENT AND WITH SAID BLAST NOZZLE ASSEMBLY, A FILTER BAG WITHIN THE COMPARTMENT WITH THE MOUTH OF THE BAG COUPLED WITH THE EXHAUST LINE TO RECEIVE THE DISCHARGE THEREFORM, A SECOND CASING ADJACENT TO THE FIRST CASING AND HAVING A DISCHARGE OPENING AT THE BOTTOM, SAID SECOND CASING COMMUNICATING THROUGH THE FIRST CASING WITH THE FILTER COMPARTMENT WHEREBY AIR EXHAUSTED THEREINTO PASSES INTO AND DOWN THROUGH THE SECOND CASING AND OUT TO THE ATMOSPHERE THROUGH THE OPENING AT THE BOTTOM OF THE SECOND CASING. 